The first production lot of extended range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff missile, or JASSM-ER, has been delivered to the U.S. Air Force by Lockheed Martin.

The long-range precision-guided missiles were delivered to Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.

"JASSM can neutralize (targets) while keeping our nation's combat aircrews safely outside the range of threats," said Kenneth Bandy, the JASSM director for test and integration.

"JASSM-ER delivers a revolutionary capability to the warfighter, a capability resulting from close collaboration between the end item user, acquisition community and our contractor team."

JASSM-ER can strike targets more than two-and-a-half times farther away than the earlier variant of the missile, which can travel more than 600 miles. It is for use on B-1B bombers but the Air Force said efforts are underway for its operation on F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons and B-52 bombers.

The Air Force said development and testing of the extended range JASSM took nine years.

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